The parable of the lost sheep applies to all sinners on this planet and also refers to the Earth itself, the only planet in the Universe that is separated from God through the transgression of the divine law. The question that God asked Adam in the Garden of the Creator "Where are you?" ( Genesis 3:9) reveals the great interest that heaven manifests in favor of every human being lost as a result of sin. When, still in Eden, Adam and Eve transgressed the commandments of God, they immediately fled from the divine presence and would not have returned were it not for the wonderful grace manifested in God's search for His lost children. There is no better illustration for human beings who have gone astray from God. Maybe that is why Christ told this story in which we are compared to a lost sheep. They are totally dependent on the care of their owner. Ewes are animals with poor eyesight, their sense of smell is not very keen, and they have no claws or even strength and agility to escape. These animals, when they are lost, are in fact lost, unless one finds them and takes them back to the fold. These animals have a keen sense of direction and know how to go home, which is not the case with sheep. It is interesting to note that Jesus never used the parable of the lost dog, the stray ox, or the cat away from home. He retraces all the steps he had walked throughout the day in the hope that the stray sheep might be around. It is late, and the only light he has to go by is the moon. He leaves the ninety-nine sheep in the safety of the fold and faces the night in an attempt to rescue the lost. Was the little sheep hurt? Had he fallen into a pit? Had a dangerous animal found it first? And now, what would he do? It was late and predators were on the loose in search of prey. It is possible that he was accustomed to running after that mischievous sheep. When the last one enters the fold, he realizes that he is missing one. He leads the sheep towards the corral and begins to check if any are missing. Imagine the scene: After spending the day with his sheep, he decides to return home. You would have seen posters on the walls of your neighborhood stores with pictures of lost animals along with the promise of a cash reward for anyone who gave just a clue to the pet's whereabouts. If we were to draw a parallel with our lives today it would be like losing a beloved pet. It is the story of a shepherd who discovered that one of his flock animals had gone astray. Jesus told a parable about a young man who also lost something of great value. Needless to say, the joy of the outing was over and all that remained was to muster up the little emotional strength we had left and return home. It was a terrible feeling until I found him safe. But the tightening in our hearts that we both felt is something I would never want to experience again. We had passed in front of it a little before, so we decided to look for him there. This story only had a happy ending because we remembered a play area where parents left the children while they shopped. Imagine the desperation of two inexperienced parents looking for their son in a crowded mall on a Sunday afternoon. When he did not find me where he had left me, he decided to explore on his own. She looked at me in surprise and was almost as quick as I was to ask, "Where is the boy?" She then explained that he had said that he would come to meet me. When I returned to the agreed meeting place, the two had not yet returned. While I waited for them, I decided I might as well use go too. When my wife said she was going to the bathroom, the little one said he also wanted to go. One day, on a family trip to the biggest mall in São Paulo, this habit of his gave me a taste of this horrible feeling of loss. When my eldest son was young, he had the habit of running off without our permission to explore during family outings. Have you ever experienced great loss? I am not talking about money or jewelry, but about someone who is really special to you. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent,” Luke 15: 4-7. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them.
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